Folding crate.



.Patented 001. 5, 1915.

R. M. CFIOUSE.-

FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION FILED ocT.13.1914.

QFFQE.;

RAY MALVIN CROUSE, OF GREAT BEND, KANSAS.

- 'FLDXNG CRATE.

application inea october 1e, i914. serial No. seats?.

T0 all Iwhom it may conce/rn.'

Be it lrnown that l. RAY M. Cnousn, a citizen of the United States, residing,` at Great Bend.` in the county of Barton. Stateof Kansas1 have invented certain new and useful improvements in Folding` Crates; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention, such will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same. i

This inrentionrelates to folding boxes, p ""icularly to that type adapted for use r4as chicl. ,n coops. and has for its object the provision of a novel and eilicient device which inav be expanded and secured to form a poultry coop. and which. may be collapsed for convenience in transportation or storage when empty. V i i .11n important object is the provision of av device of this character which will be eX- tremely simple and inexpensive in manufacture, elicient and `durable in use.,` and ageneral improvement of the art.y

With these and` other objects and advantages in View. the'inyention consists inthe novel construction and arrangement of parts as will he hereinafter more fully described and claimed. and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing.) in which: y

Figure 1 is a plan view of the case or crate assembled. showing` it in its expanded and closed position, Fig. 2 is a similar view showinf; the cover swungopen. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4l is a cross-sectional view on the line 4l-i of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the crate folded, and Fig. 6 is a. side elevati on thereof.

Referring more particularlyto the drawingzs the numerals 10 and 11 designate the similar sections of the bottom. which are hinged together at their contiguous edges as shown at 12. The sections 10 and 11 are provided at their ends with cleats 13 and 14. Hingedly secured upon the free edge of the section 10 as shown'at 15 is one side wall 16 tothe ends of which are hineed as shown at 17 end walls 18 and 19. A partition wall 20 is also hinged upon the side wall 16 as shown at 21. Hinged upon the free edge of the bottom section 11 as shown at 22 is the other side wall 23 which is provided upon its ends with spaced cleats 24C and 25 and at its center with spaced cleats 26.

Specification ofietters Patent.

tion 20.

Patented @et 5, 1915.

The cover comprises two similar sections 27 and 28 hinged together attheir cout'i ;ul ous edges as shown at llie section 27 is provided with openings 30 and is hingedly connected with thel side ywall 23 as shown at 31. The sections 27 and 28 of the cover are provided upon their ends with spaced cleats 32 and 33.7 i A i lin order toasseniblethe crate into its eX- panded position. thefsections 10 and 11 are disposed upon the floor or `ejround and the side wall 1G is moved'upwardly'to extend aty right angles thereto. Theend walls 18 and 19 are Vthen swung outwardly upon. the hinges 17 until they engage the cleats 13 yand le respectively which will limit their outward movement. Zllhey partition 2Q is then swungl uponits hinges 21 until it engages cleats 34` secured upon the Vsections 10 and 11. The side 23 is then swung; upwardly upon its hinges 22 whereupon thercleats 241 at one end will be disposed against the sides 'of the endl 18. the cleats 25 will begdisposed on both sides of the end 19. and the cleats 26 willbe disposed on both sides of the Apartirlie outermost of the cleats 241 and 25 and theright hand ones of the cleats 26 terminate short of the edge of the side wall 23 contiguous to the section 1l so as not to interfere with the cleats 13, 14 and 34:. rFhe cover sections 27 and 28 vare then swung over so that the cleats 32 will be disposed against the sides of the end wall 18. the cleats 33 will'be disposed against the sides of the end wall 19. and thecentral cleats 35 will be disposed against the sides of the partition-20- The ends of the cleats 32. 33 and 35 terminate short of the edge of the section 27 connected with the side 23 so as not to interfere with the cleats 24, 25 and 26 respectively and said cleats also terminate short of the 'outer edge of the section 28 so as not to interfere with the side wall 16.

lWhen the crateV has been thus expanded and the various parts interlocked yby means of the various cleats, it may be secured in its set up position by means of a hasp 36 engaging a staple 37 as shown. i en ordinary padlock 38 maybe passed through the staple y When it is desired to -collapse the crate,

the padlockBS is removed, the hasp 36 isv upon each other, after, which the side wall .28 is swung down, the side wall'lG isrv swung down, the ends 18 and 19- are swung inwardly upon the side 16, the partition' 20 is swung downionto the outer face of the end 18 after which both cover sections are olded over upon the side 23, the bottom section 11 is swung under the'side 23 `and 'thenover onto the section 10 air-er which the side 16 carrying the ends andthe'partition'isV swung under the section 10.'` rlvhe device will then appear as a ilatrect'angu-lar ybody having` only the combined thickness oi" the various sections and will occupy'but little space Vfor transportation and storage. i

From' thegforegoingV description and a study of the Vdrawing it willY be apparent that I have thus'provided a simple, novel and efiicient crate which may be readily expanded for use vand which may be easily and quicklyV collapsed -for convenience intransportation and storage, the various parts -ber-` ing rigidly held against displacement VWhile in their expanded position.

` n win kbe readily understood that I rd serve'the rightftoimake various-changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention lor* limiting theV scope ofthe subjvoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I il side wall and engaging said cleats, a second side wallnhinged upon the iireeedge of the other bottom section, pairs of cleats on the ends of said second named -side wallengaging the( ends of said end walls, a cover formed o1 two similar sections hinged together, one edge'of one of. said cover sections being hingedly connected with the free edge of said second named side wall, Ipairs of cleats upon the ends of said cover sections engaging 'they top edges of said endV walls, and nieans on said cover coperating with means on said first named side wall for securing'the device in its expanded position, all of said rwallsrandV sections being foldable upon :one another when in their collapsed position.

In testimony whereof, I ahiX my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

Y RAY MALVIN CROUSE.

Witnesses: Y

CHARLIE WV. CRoUsn, Vf'iNDRnw BOYD.

Copies of this patent inay be obtaineldrfor five cents eackby addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 13:0. f 

